Development of a Novel Anti-Impact Magnetorheological Damper with Pressure Relief Channel

Conventional magnetorheological dampers (CMRD) generate damping force through the flow of magnetorheological fluid in a narrow passage. However, due to the fixed geometry of the passage, the damping force is linearly proportional to the velocity. This structural limitation results in significant damping forces at high speeds, severely impacting the energy dissipation efficiency of the damper. This flaw poses a substantial threat to both occupants and mechanical structures. In response to this limitation, this research endeavors to engineer a novel impact-resistant MR damper (NMRD) by augmenting the traditional MR damper’s architecture with an innovative internal channel furnished with an embedded circular permanent magnet. During instances of high-velocity impacts, this specialized channel selectively opens to attenuate impact forces. This augmentation serves to significantly heighten the soft landing impact resistance of flying cars while concurrently enhancing passenger comfort. A prototype of this pioneering MR damper was manufactured alongside a conventional counterpart for comparison. By simulation analysis and comprehensive experiments conducted on an MTS machine, this study verifies the superior impact resistance of the new MR damper. The experimental setup also encompassed drop hammer tests using a specialized platform to assess both dampers’ performance under identical conditions. The experimental results indicate the excellent impact resistance of this novel impact-resistant MR damper.